It always amazes me how quickly this arc in Bennie's story goes, because when I first began writing the book, it took me ten months to get her from going through the trauma of seeing/fighting the demon to facing her fears over him. That's what happens when you're writing a novel at the same time you're writing fanfiction, and in high school. That is, in fact, why I gave up fanfiction. I knew as long as I wrote fanfiction my own work would suffer.

It's a fine line we nerdy writers walk. On one hand we have our own stories to tell. On the other hand, writing our own versions and continuations of stories already begun, and beloved by many, is so much fun, and I might add a confidence booster. I've never had as many readers of my original work as I did my fanfiction, at least not ones that have reached out to me. And I will be the first to admit that it was the positive reaction to my fanfiction (which was terrible) that encouraged me to write on my own. If it weren't for fanfiction, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now.

Some people only want to write fanfiction. That's great. Some people think fanfiction is a waste of time. If you want to think that, well, OK, but let me debate with you. There's the superhuman writers who can do both--you're amazing. And then there's those of us who start with one and end with the other. More power to us.

Whatever you write, fanfiction or original, keep writing! It's worth it. But if you're a fanfiction writer who wants to go original, but you feel uncertain, don't be afraid. Putting yourself out there can be terrifying, and not all of us get to be J.K. Rowling, but if it's in your heart, it'll find its way into someone elses.'